MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Virus stricken cruise expected in Gibraltar.

The P&O British cruise liner “Aurora” with 400 passengers on board infected with a highly contagious gastro-intestinal virus is scheduled to arrive this Monday in Gibraltar on a return journey to Southampton. The “Aurora” was denied docking in Athens because of the sanitary condition.

The disease is believed to be a Norwalk-like virus, which can cause diarrhoea and vomiting for up to two days and strikes where there is inadequate sanitation - mostly in hospitals and schools or on cruise ships. P&O said the ship, which is based in Southampton, will continue its cruise as planned, with 1,800 passengers and a crew of 600 on board.

David Dingle, managing director of P&O Cruises, said: "We are doing everything to ensure that our passengers are having an enjoyable time. The mood on board the ship is positive." He said the decision by Greek authorities to not allow the ship's passengers to enter the country had been unprecedented, given that the people who had been contagious would have been held on board.

A Gibraltar Government spokesman confirmed the cruise was heading for Gibraltar and due in port early Monday morning. Gibraltar Director of Public Health Dr Vijay Kumar said that the passengers will be thoroughly checked before they are allowed to land on the Rock. "Reports being received from the ship appear to indicate that all but 30 of the affected passengers have now recovered" indicated Dr. Kumar who is in constant contact with the cruise vessel. Once the vessel arrives in port Dr Kumar will gather all the information available from the ship, make the assessment, report his findings, and advice the Gibraltar Government which will then decide whether to allow the Aurora's passengers to disembark or not. Commenting on the situation Gibraltar's Tourism Minister Joe Holliday said that "obviously if there were a significant risk to public health in Gibraltar that would be our first responsibility. However, we hope to be able to welcome Aurora's healthy passengers to Gibraltar."

The 76,000-tonne "Aurora" has been struck by bad luck from the very start with its maiden voyage cancelled when it broke down one day into a two-week cruise. And even at its christening, by the Princess Royal, the traditional bottle of champagne dropped into Southampton Docks instead of smashing against the ship when a bottle-release mechanism failed.